


The Thief and the Sorceress

by CyclonicJet



Series: A Dance of Fire and Flowers [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 20:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16047878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyclonicJet/pseuds/CyclonicJet
Summary: This is small part of a much larger thing I'm working on. But I'd love to gauge interest from this small snippet.





	The Thief and the Sorceress

"GET BACK HERE THIEF!" the merchant roared. Vaelia laughed loudly at the notion

"GO AHEAD AND MAKE ME!" she yelled back as she skid around the corner and back onto the main street. She shoved the pouch of stolen gold into her tunic as she barrelled into a bunch of startled nobles. The small procession of aristocrats tumbled over each other in their desperate attempts to move out of the way. But she had no time to think about them, she need to reach the bridge and get across the river.

If she could just reach the other bank she'd be as good as golden. No respectable merchant ever dared walk into the north side of the city. The guards though might actually be a problem she realised, as the distinctive clank of armour started clamouring behind her.

* * *

Lyanna gazed down into her tea. The hustle and bustle of the city around her faded as she looked ever further into its depths. Swirling shadows shifted around at the bottom. They reminded her of foul things, things she had worked hard to forget. Despite her best efforts to the contrary the vision that had haunted her for years came unbidden to her once more.

Splashes of light and shadow danced around her. Blood soaked everything, from her robes and face, to the snow and grass around her. A dying man lay in her arms. He was gasping for air but was unable to pull any of it into his lungs. There was nothing she could do to help him. She didn't know what to do. She couldn’t save him. She-

She blinked and the vision vanished. She was once more sitting outside the tea shop. People walked by and the river rushed by below her. How long was this going to haunt her she thought to herself. Eight years had now passed but she was no closer to recovery. Would these memories truly torment her for the rest of her life? She wasn't sure, she was never really sure of much of anything these days.

Once she had been so resolute in all that she did. Then the living shadows had stripped of her near everything, leaving her a mere husk of her former self. What was wandering around the world actually accomplishing? She had set out on this journey to try and once more find purpose in her life. But now near a full decade had passed and she had found nothing.

She was still sat there, lost deep in thought, when the sound of banging metal and raised voices caused her to stir and look up again. "Halt thief! I order you to stop!" the voice was yelling. Turning around from where she sat she witnessed a group of guards chasing a hooded figure down the road. They were moving towards towards the bridge just opposite the tea shop.

She stared for a moment. Should she intervene? It wasn’t her job to stop petty thieves after all. Maybe she should just-

She shook her head violently. This was a decision the old Lyanna would never had had such an issue making. She may have been unsure of her place in life, but she knew that she should always help people in need. It was the most important message Anavon had ever instilled in her.

* * *

The bridge came into view. Vaelia could see her escape path wide open before her. The guards could not hope to catch her in time, she was as good as free. Her glee swiftly mingled with confusion as a women stepped out in front of her path. She was attired in dazzling white robes, a crumpled witch's hat, and a fiery determination in her eyes. She was, in Vaelia's humble opinion, incredibly beautiful.

Regardless of that however, she now stood between Vaelia and freedom. She moved to dance around the woman at the same time as the robed women raised her hand and pointed at the floor. Vaelia suddenly found herself sliding forward over ice. She lost control of her footing and slipped, falling down hard onto her front. Not entirely sure of what had just happened she didn't pause to think about it. Instead of flailing around, she streamlined herself by tucking her arms in. She slid gracefully across the frozen ground until the ice abruptly ended, and she was dumped unceremoniously back onto cobblestones.

Without missing a beat she jumped up and carried through on her momentum. Leaping forward she continued her frantic charge towards the bridge. A quick glance back revealed the women gazing after her with a stunned look on her face. Vaelia grinned. No one would catch her that easily.

* * *

Lyanna was totally taken aback. Not only had this person adapted so quickly to her enchantment, but they were still escaping. Suddenly a crash of steel shook her as the guards barged onto the ice and fell over, hitting the ground with loud banging noises.  
Lyanna was not about to let someone like this escape her.

She started running before suddenly hopping into the air, and taking flight. She soared ahead through the air, closing the distance to her her quarry. The cloaked figure had already reached the bridge and was rushing to cross it as quickly as they could.  
This time Lyanna was going to take a far more direct approach. Aiming a body binding charm at them she unleashed the magic upon them. A moment later the person suddenly seized mid charge and collapsed to the ground, sliding forwards a few feet before coming to a halt.

Gliding down gracefully down towards them Lyanna said "You know. When the guards say stop, they usually have a good reason." The person didn't respond. Walking over to them and leaning down close to there face she pulled back the hood and was stunned. It was perhaps the most gorgeous women she had ever seen.

She was a deep tanned brown with brilliant golden eyes. The odd freckle adorned the side of her cheeks and a delicate nose sat beneath her eyes. But it was her lips that drew her attention, for they were stretched out in a wild grin.

* * *

Vaelia really didn't have much time to think about what she did next. She needed to free herself of the invisible bonds ensnaring her. The only way to do that was to distract the white robed woman, break her concentration on her charm.

In her current state there was little she could do to make that happen. Nothing realistic came to mind in any case. She could wiggle a little and stretch her body, but nothing much else. But maybe that’s all she needed. Her grin widened as a thought struck her. There was more than one way to distract someone. She suddenly pushed her head forward and kissed the women smack on the lips.

* * *

If Lyanna had been stunned before by the nature of the persons she had been chasing, then she was positively stupefied to find herself suddenly locked in an embrace with them. Her mind fogged with the shock, and the flow of magic binding the women tight collapsed. A hand suddenly shoved hard into her chest knocking her backward and on to her back. Leaning back up in ever increasing shock she saw the tanned women give her another feral smile and say "Thanks for the kiss darling. The pleasure was all yours." Then she was once more sprinting away across the bridge.

Lyanna was red faced. A cavalcade of thoughts and emotions were burning through her, at last one managed to wrangle its way to dominance above all the others. Curiosity. She had to give chase and find out just who this woman was. Only that would quell the riotous noise blasting around her mind.

* * *

Vaelia dove into the north side of the city. She ran past the stalls and sellers alike and on into the alleys. Snaking way through them she was at last forced to halt by her own exhaustion. Despite the fact she was doubled over herself, and breathing hard with the near winding she had given herself in her escape, she found herself full of ecstatic glee.

She had escaped not only the guards, but a sorcerers too! Few and less could claim that accolade. Thinking back on the women though made her cheeks glow red. That kiss may have been necessary to escape, but she would be lying to herself if she said she hadn't enjoyed it. She really had been stunning. If she hadn't been standing between her and escape she may have even stopped to woo her. But that hardly mattered now. That was the past now. Straightening herself up she turned to leave the alley, only to suddenly find the white robed women standing at the end of it, barring her path.

* * *

"You're not as subtle as you think are." Lyanna said. "Your presence leaves a very distinct impression in the world. And for those, like myself, who know how to read them it makes it exceedingly easy to track you."

The women bared her teeth in a fierce smile. "I see my charms clearly left an impression on you.” she cooed. “If you’ve gone to all this trouble just to find me again."

Lyanna flushed at that. "That was a dirty underhanded move you pulled!" she stammered out.

The women laughed. "I take any advantage I can get when duelling with magic. If I am to win such games then I must truly pull out all the stops. Besides, I rather think you enjoyed it." A teasing grin was etched onto her face.

Lyanna flushed even harder. "Enough of this! You are going to return what you stole immediately! Then you will-will..." she trailed off her mind fogging over. A darkness glimpsed in the corner of the alley had mutated, grown larger and now sought to engulf her. Her vision narrowed and she sagged to her side. Her mind became a flurry as once again the nightmarish vision returned to her. She was ripped away from the alley and again found herself thrown once more into that blood soaked valley.

* * *

Vaelia didn't know how to react. One moment the white robed women had been fierce and commanding, and now she was wobbling on her feet, her eyes unfocused and distant. Should she take this chance to slink away? She would never have a better chance then right now to do so. The women suddenly began to topple over. Without thinking Vaelia leapt forward and caught her, placing her back into her arms as she broke her fall.

Why had she done that? She wasn't sure herself if she was strictly honest. Instinct had guided her it would seem. She looked up and down the alley seeking help, but no one else was there. Looking down at her she heard her muttering words to herself.  
"Please don't do this to me...I still need you...I love you." Vaelia had no idea what any of that mean or was about, but it sounded deeply personal. Pain and sadness creased her face although it seemed like it stemmed from something very deep within her.

A full minute passed as Vaelia sat there with the women laying in her arms until the she suddenly violently jerked, abruptly snapping back to awareness of her surroundings. She attempted to bolt up right clearly panic stricken. Vaelia halted her with her hand, stopping her from doing anything rash. "What-Where am-" she stammered, then her eyes lit up as memories flooded back to her "You! You-you-you..." she continued to stammer before saying "You caught me? You didn't run away?"

Vaelia's eyes widened and it was her turn to flush. She looked away to cover that fact, "Well you know...you see a pretty girl start to fall over...what else are you going to do..." she said.

She looked back to see a thin smile lightning up the woman's face. "Thank you." she whispered "It would seem you're not the total ruffian I took you for."

Vaelia was taken aback "Who are you calling a ruffian!?” she said. “I much prefer scoundrel."

The women laughed, a beautiful sound that made Vaelia's heart skip a beat. She let her go and retreated a step. Still laughing the women got to her feet and extended her hand out. "My name is Lyanna. And what might yours be my good scoundrel?"  
  
Vaelia hesitated. She didn't really know this person, but her smile and laugh were intoxicating. The more she saw and heard of it, the more she wanted to be around it. Deciding to go along with it she stuck out her hand and said "The name's Vaelia-" she began before she was heaved into Lyanna's hugging embrace.

Suddenly finding herself in a hug had been the last thing she had expected. Unsure of what to do she held her arms out wide to the her sides before Lyanna released her and stepped back. She was spinning something around her finger. The pouch of gold she had pilfered!

"I like you Vaelia.” she said smiling. “But I don't like a thief." Her face taking on a more serious look. "So here's what's we’re going to do. Firstly we're going to go and return this gold."

Vaelia started "What do you mean we’re going to-" but Lyanna cut her off.

"And then I'm going to treat you to dinner.” she finished.

Vaelia quite suddenly found herself feeling like she had been just told that the sky was green, or the sea was custard. "Dinner? Like-as in--food?" she said slowly.

"Yes, dinner usually consists of food. Glad to see you understand the concept." Lyanna said with a soft laugh. Vaelia simply stood there quite unsure of herself. Then Lyanna spoke again "Come on then. I'm hungry and this gold isn't going to return itself." With that said she sauntered off out of the alley, spinning the pouch of gold around her finger and leaving Vaelia alone.  
  
Vaelia stared after her, then she looked back down the other end of the alley. Back and forth her gaze traced. She took a moment to compose herself and think. 'Well...' she reasoned to herself. A nice dinner with a pretty girl sounded a whole let better then spending the night looking for another meal.

She didn't enjoy the idea of being with anyone though. She had always been a free spirit, not looking to be tied down to anyone. But then again she reasoned it was only one meal. It wasn't like she was bound at the hip to this Lyanna. And it's not like they were suddenly going to become partners or anything...

**Author's Note:**

> This is small part of a much larger thing I'm working on. But I'd love to gauge interest from this small snippet.


End file.
